Water-heater.



No. 632,2!2. Patehted Aug; 29, I899.

' J. C. BECKFIELD. Y WATER HEATER.

(Aiaplication filed. Mar. 17, 1896.) (llo Modgl.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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WITNESSES: INVENTOR- wgb b A I m: cams PETERS co. Pucmuwm WAsHmmcM u c.

No. 632,212. Patented Aug. 29. I899.

.. J. c. BECKFIELD.

WATER HEATER.

(Application; fllecjl Mar. 17, 1896.) v (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES m: ncnms PETERS ca. PHOYO-LITHQ. wunmqou. a. c.

UNHTEZD STATES JOHN C. BECKFIELD, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BEQKFIELD WATER HEATER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WATER-HEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,212, dated August 29, 1899.

Application filed March 1 7, 1 8 9 6.

State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tater-Heaters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this projecting end of the spindle is operatively specification, in which.-

proved valve-motorapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved 3: Fig. 3 is a crosssectional view of the regulator and the gasregulator for water-heaters. 5

valve. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view ofamodification. Fig. 5isaplan view. 7 Fig. is a side elevation, and Fig. 7 is a sectional View of a modification.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of water-heaters in which a gasburner is arranged to heat the water in the water-conduit and the gas is turned on and supplied to the burner by the flow of water through the conduit; and itconsists in a movable vane or abutment arranged in a chamber, which is located in the line of flow of water from the supply-pipe to the heater in such position as to be shifted by the stream of water flowing to the heater, and a valve or other device for controlling the application of heat to the heater, connected to the vane or abutment, substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

I will now describe my invention so that others skilled in the art may manufacture and use the same.

In the drawings, 2 represents the water-conduit, leading from the city main or source of supply, and 3 is a jet or nozzle on the end of the conduit and extendinginto the chamber 4, whichis also connected to asuitable coil of pipe in the heater A. This coil is constructed and arrangedin such relation to a heat-generator 1'. 6., a gas-burner-that the water flowing through the coil will be sufficiently heated. A vane or abutment 5 is movably arranged in Figure 1 is a View, partly in elevation and{ partly in section, of a heater having my im- Serial No. 588,504. (No model.)

the chamber in front of and preferably at right angles to the axis of the nozzle 3. In the construction shown in Figs. 2 to 6 the vane or abutment is attached to a spindle 6, having one end loosely mounted in a socket in one of the side walls of the chamber, while the opposite end projects through a stuffingbox 7 on the other wall of the chamber. The

connected to a controller for the heat-geneb ator, as a valve 8 in agas-supply pipe 9. Secured to the shaft 6, in the chamber 4, is a weight 10, the purpose of which is to resist any force exerted against the vane 5 tending to move the vane out of its vertical position. This resisting force may be regulated by placing the weight 11 adjustably on an arm 12, which is keyed to the shaft 6 outside of the chamber 4. The pipe 13, connecting chamber 4 with the heating-coil, is preferably made somewhat larger than the nozzle 3, so as to avoid any back pressure against the vane or movable abutment.

This regulator is arranged in such relation to the heating device, which may be of any suitable construction-as, for example a coil of pipe and'a gas-burner, as shown and described in my application, Serial No. 565,483, filed October 16, 1895, or any other suitable means for heating the waterthat the vane or abutment will be shifted by the movement of fluid through the heater, and thereby permit of the operation of the heat-generator.

The operation of this regulator is as follows: When water is drawn from the pipe 13 through the faucet, water flows from the nozzle 3 and, striking against the vane 5, deflects the same from a vertical position, and thereby causes the spindle 6 to turn on its axis and open the gas-valve 8, so as to permit a flow of gas to the gas-burner, and the amount of gas pass- 0 ing through the valve will be regulated by the amount of water drawn from the conduit, for if the faucet in the water-pipe is'opened Wide, allowing a free flow of water therefrom, the jet from the nozzle 3 will be strong and will deflect the vane 5 sufficiently to entirely open the gas-valve. By adjusting the weight 11 the relative amount of flow of water and gas may be regulated, so as to admit only a sufficient quantity of gas to the burner to heat the water as it passes through the water-conduit whether the flow of water be large or small.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a spindle provided with a series of vanes, so that as the first vane is moved away from the jet another vane comes under its force and the power of the jet on the regulator is not lessened. Although I have described a weight as the resisting force, I do not desire to limit myself thereto. In lieu of an abutment or vane moving in the arc of a circle, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the vane or abutment may be arranged to move in a straight line, as shown in Fig. 7, in which the spindle 6 for operating the gasvalve is provided with a crank loosely connected to the vane or abutment.

The nozzle and outlet-pipe may be connected to the chamber on opposite sides of the vane or movable abutment, as shown in Figs. 2 to 6, inclusive, or may be located on the same side of the vane or abutment, as shown in Fig. 7. lVhen the nozzle and outlet-pipe are arranged on opposite sides of the vane or abutment, it is preferred that the latter should be so constructed as to permit of a slight flow of fluid past it, so as to compensate for leaky or slightly open faucets without shifting the vane or abutment. Where the nozzle and outlet-pipe are connect-ed to the chamber on the same side of the vane or abutment, provision should be made, as by holes through the vane or abutment, to permit of an equalization of pressure on both sides of the vane when the faucets are closed, and also to permit of the escape of fluid past the vane to the outlet-pipe when the jet of water impinges thereon on the opening of the faucet.

The advantages of my improvement will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a regulator for water-heaters, the combination of a conduit connected to the heater, a rotatable shaft, a vane or abutment fitting loosely in the conduit and connected to the shaft, and a controllerfor the heat-generator also connected to the shaft, substantially as set forth.

2. In a regulator for water-heaters, the combination of a conduit connected to the heater, a rotatable shaft, a vane or abutment connected to the shaft, means for resisting the movement of the vane or abutment, anda controller for the heat-generator also conn ected to the shaft, substantially as set forth.

3. In a regulator for water-heaters, the combination of a conduit connected to the heater, a rotatable shaft, a vane or abutment connected to the shaft, an adjustable weight for resisting the movement of the vane or abutment, and a controller for the heat-generator also connected to the shaft, substantially as set forth.

4. In a regulatorfor water-heaters, the combination of a conduit connected to the heater, a rotatable shaft arranged transversely of the conduit, a vane or abutment secured to the shaft within the conduit and a controller for the heat-generator connected to the shaft,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set .my hand.

JOHN C. BECKFIELD. lVitnesses:

WV. A. SCHMIDT,

E. IIARPELL. 

